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So which one is it? Is your TV off-limits or is it your babysitter? Something in-between?
How many hours is your TV on each day? ...
Here are some of your answers ...
We've been TV abusers for 5 years. The TV is used during my working hours when a babysitter is unavailable and also when it is time to prepare dinner. On average the TV is on 3 to 7 hours a day. Sad but true. We definitely need a 12 step program. I wonder if there's a video that could help us? Just kidding!
It all depends on the day. During the summer, my kids like to get up early and watch cartoons for about an hour before getting dressed and eating. After that, tv is usually off until evening. They are allowed an hour of tv before bed (if there is anything appropriate on). However, on rainy, snowy or extremely hot or cold days when the kids can't go outside, they get to watch one movie during the day. That is a big treat for them and they love it. If we know tomorrow will be an inside day, we try renting one they haven't seen yet. Now, the computer is a whole other story! *L*
I don't think the TV is ever off in my house! If I need to get something done, I will let my two year old pick a video. Nothing with the older two boys works. My husband is even worse than the boys. I would love to get rid of the TV. But I seem to be the only one in the family who does. School will start soon. I will try to regain my sanity then. Right now, the summer has been too long to care.
Wow, that's a tough one!!! The truth is that sometimes the t.v. is on all day...just like background noise...like elevator music!!! I don't even think that anyone is watching it more than two hours a day. The cat maybe, but he seems bored with it and falls asleep in front it around mid-day. I guess it is one of those magical wonders from our youth that must be turned on every day, whether watched or not...
My daughter is only 17 months old, but I am already monitoring the amount of time the TV is on. I grew up with limited hours in front of the TV. My parents felt there were more creative and thought-provoking ways to spend a few hours. I feel the same way. I plan to let my daughter watch only educational TV and some children's videos. I think the quality of TV shows have gone downhill, and the subject matter on most shows (including sex, violence, and disfunctional family values) is not what I would like my daughter to consider "the norm". I would like my daughter to learn and be entertained in other ways - sports, board games, friendships, volunteering, music, books, family discussion, after school activities, computers, children's parties, traveling, museums, etc. I hope in the future, the quality of television subject matter improves!
We do not have cable so we can not get any programming. However, we do have a VCR and my son does love his Barney tapes. And I also welcome the window of opportunity they give me to get something done for a short period of time. In my opinion mainstream tv is for the brain dead and both my husband and I choose to live without it.
TV is not off limits, but is also not used as a babysitter. My oldest son (who is 16 months) currently watches it for about an hour a day. Other than that, when the TV is on, it is on the weather channel. (they show the time every 10 minutes, comes in really handy when nursing my newborn) We listen to lots of radio and tapes. He loves to dance. The radio is almost always on.
At our house, the TV is only on if we have rented or borrowed a movie. We do not have cable, satellite, or even basic TV. Our child is 7 months old, and we want him to be as TV free as possible. We decided that there are hundreds of other, much better things to do than watch TV.
All that violence is not a goo role model for my child, or for me either! Did you know that a child's brain grows in learning capacity for the first year, and then it is over? They keep learning things after this time, but the amount of learning ability is done after a year.
That is the reason why started out to be TV free, but there are many more reasons added daily to my list. The joy of taking a walk with my child and not worrying that he might be bored. All the people who comment on how alert my child is. The rapt attention I get from him when I talk to him. I want to do everything I possibly can to insure that my child is as intelligent as God made him able to be, and I think that having a TV free home is a huge step in the right direction.There is one thing I like to watch, lasting from half an hour to an hour, each night on TV, but I probably only catch TV three nights a week. So that's about three hours a week. I see TV as an unwinding mechanism.
As for my kids, our TV is not hooked up to cable or an antenna, so it is just a large video player. though I sometimes wish we still got cable, for almost two years it has been like this, and it gives us complete control over what the kids watch - either videos we have or videos we rent. We also trade videos with other families. they see a greater variety of things this way. (the small black and white TV in my room is what I use to watch my favorite shows: 20/20, Mystery!, Home Improvement, Law and Order and Keeping Up Apperances.)
In the school year, the kids may not watch TV at all during the week, but in summer it can be a couple of hours. For younger kids, yes, I did use the TV as a babysitter, taking comfort that they were watching all PBS kid shows. It beats playing in the street.
We watch very little. but, my three year old watches morning programming, or a video, and the t.v. is on in the morning for up to three hours. it sounds awful, but he's not vegged out in front of the screen. he's interacting, and better yet, learning from the type of shows we watch (low key, educational). i also have a chance to get my day in order.
At our house this summer we turned our TV off. This was my first summer of being a WAHM and I did not know what to expect. We set a goal and I will say that we were approximately 80% successful. My three children 12, 7 and 5 all boys spent a summer of learning to get along without the TV to entertain. They played board games, read to each other and spent a lot of time out doors. In the past we have turned the TV off during the week while school is in session.
Our TV is on in the morning for Teletubbies and a small portion of Sesame Street, otherwise it is off for most of the day. I have had to tape episodes of Tubbies for the purpose of finishing a big order and having my son in one spot so I can finish the order, otherwise we do not watch much television, cannot remember the last time I got to sit and watch a live newscast even. My office is close enough to the play area and the job I do gives me a break every few minutes to where I can play with him or go outside with him for intervals of 1/2 hour at a time.
During the off season I watch very little TV; on average, less than 30 mins. per day. During the new fall season I look forward with anticipation to Chicago Hope and E.R. My children watch considerably more TV. Some days they may watch as much as 3 to 4 hours. When we are busy and out and about a lot they may watch less than an hour. Yes, I do admit to using the TV as a baby sitter in a tight pinch. But usually I opt for turning on the radio or the CD player to provide a background and reduce the liklihood of the TV just being on.
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